Source: Michael Fielding, MEATINGPLACE, 2/1/16

All cattle and calves in the United States as of January 1, 2016, totaled 92.0 million head – 3 percent above the 89.1 million head on January 1, 2015, according to USDA's Cattle Report, released Friday.

All cows and heifers that have calved, at 39.6 million head, are 3 percent above the 38.6 million head on January 1, 2015. Beef cows, at 30.3 million head, are up 4 percent from a year ago. Milk cows, at 9.32 million head, are up slightly from the previous year.

All heifers 500 pounds and over as of January 1, 2016, totaled 19.8 million head. This is 3 percent above the 19.3 million head on January 1, 2015. Beef replacement heifers, at 6.29 million head, are up 3 percent from a year ago. Milk replacement heifers, at 4.82 million head, are up 2 percent from the previous year. Other heifers, at 8.71 million head, are 3 percent above a year earlier.

All calves less than 500 pounds in the United States as of January 1, 2016, totaled 14.1 million head. This is 4 percent above the 13.5 million head on January 1, 2015. Steers weighing 500 pounds and more totaled 16.3 million head, up 4 percent from one year ago. Bulls weighing 500 pounds and more totaled 2.14 million head, up 2 percent from the previous year.

Calf crop up 2 percent
The 2015 calf crop in the United States was estimated at 34.3 million head, up 2 percent from last year's calf crop. Calves born during the first half of 2015 were estimated at 24.8 million head. This is up 2 percent from the first half of 2014. The calves born during the second half of 2015 were estimated at 9.50 million head, 28 percent of the total 2015 calf crop.

Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for all feedlots totaled 13.2 million head on January 1, 2016. The inventory is up 1 percent from the January 1, 2015, total of 13.0 million head. Cattle on feed, in feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head, accounted for 80.2 percent of the total cattle on feed on January 1, 2016. This is down 1 percent from the previous year. The combined total of calves under 500 pounds and other heifers and steers over 500 pounds (outside of feedlots) is 25.9 million head. This is 5 percent above one year ago.

Revisions
2015 were reviewed using calf crop, official slaughter, import and export data, and the relationship of new survey information to the prior surveys. Based on these findings July 1, 2014, cattle and calves decreased by 0.6 percent and 2014 calf crop decreased by 1.1 percent. January 1, 2015, cattle and calves decreased by 0.7 percent, cows and heifers that calved decreased by 1.0 percent, and July 1, 2015, cattle and calves decreased by 0.2 percent.

State level estimates were reviewed and changes were made to reallocate inventory estimates to the United States total.

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